Adjustable game target mast apparatus



Sept. 12, 1967 R. o. BOTTORFF ADJUSTABLE GAM" TARGET- MAST APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1963 FIG. 2

FIG.

INVENTOR RICHARD D. BOTTORFF FIG. 3

ATTORNEYS P 12, 1957 R. D. BOTTORFF 3,341,197

ADJUSTABLE GAME TARGET MAST APPARATUS Filed Dec. 11, 1963 f .3 Sheets-Shee t 2 FI u y INVENTOR.

RICHARD D. BOTTORFF BY M7 M ATTORNEYS Sept. 12, 1967 R. D. BOTTORFF ADJUSTABLE GAMEIT'ARGET MAST APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Shee'b 3 Filed Dec. 11 1963 FIG. 8

n R m0 .VzT mm B D D R A H m R BY 7%? w ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,341,197 ADJUSTABLE GAME TARGET MAST APPARATUS Richard D. Bottorlf, 132 Terry Lane, Mishawaka, Ind. 46544 Filed Dec. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 329,708 3 Claims. (Cl. 2731.5)

The present invention relates to a game apparatus and more particularly to a backboard mast apparatus for the game of basketball and similar sports.

The popularity of the game of basketball in grade and high schools has made the installation of basketball practice courts a necessity for most homes having teenage boys. Often these installations consist of a backboard mounted on a garage or permanently mounted on a post in a small playing area. While either of these two types of installations may be satisfactory in many instances, it is often not possible to locate the backboard in a suitable playing area where it will not interfere with other essential activities of the home, such as access of the family automobile to the garage. Further, suitable playing area may be in front of the garage which may be near or readily visible from the street on which the home is located, and hence a permanent installation creates an unsightly appearance for the home, and the constant use thereof may result in damage to the home, garage structure or roofs and lawns adjacent the playing area. Further, when playing area or court is on the lawn, the area is usually worn bare from constant use by the players so that it becomes uneven, dusty, or otherwise unsuitable. While various attempts have been made to make and install portable or movable backboard masts, these prior apparatus have generally been heavy and hard to move from place to place and have required heavy weights and/ or special fixtures in the ground or pavement for holding the apparatus in place while the apparatus is being used. These prior apparatus have also generally been difiicult to assemble and disassemble, and hence could not readily and easily be installed on and removed from the playing area as the game is played from time to time. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a backboard mast apparatus which is relatively light in weight and simple in construction and which can easily be assembled in the playing area when the players wish to play or practice and thereafter readily disassembled and stored.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rigid, completely self supporting basketball mast apparatus which can be easily moved from place to place, but which stays in any selected place on pavement, dirt or lawns without supplemental securing means, weights or anchors.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mast apparatus for use in playing and practicing sports and games such as basketball, which can be adjusted to various heights to accommodate effectively children of various age groups, and which does not have any supporting or reinforcing structure which will interfere with the proper use of the apparatus in playing and practicing or which will create a safety hazard.

A further object is to provide a versatile mast apparatus for practicing sports and games which can be readily adapted for practicing basketball, football and baseball,

and which can be moved easily from one type of playing area or court to another for practicing the respective sport or game.

A further object is to provide a game apparatus of the aforesaid type which can be easily manufactured, shipped complete, and ready for assembling at the playing area,

and which is compact in size and shape when disassemble-d and can be easily stored when not in use.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accampanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the present mast apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the mast apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the base of the present mast apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the mast supporting structure;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the mast apparatus, the section being taken on line 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a further fragmentary elevational view of the supporting structure for the mast;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged elevational View of the securing mechanism for the extensible portion of the mast structure;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross sectional view of the fragmentary portion of the mast structure and securing means therefor, the section being taken on line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a rear elevational view of the backboard of the present mast structure showing further details of the supporting structure;

FIGURE 10 is a front elevational view of the present mast apparatus illustrating a feature for further use thereof; and

FIGURE 11 is a front elevational view of the apparatus showing another feature for a still further use thereof.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIG- URES 1 and 2 in particular, numeral 20 designates the base, 22 the mast and 24 a basketball backboard having mounted thereon a conventional basket 26. While various kinds of games may be played with the present mast apparatus, the apparatus is primarily designed for playing basketball, and hence Will be described with reference to this game.

The mast 22 consists of a lower tubular section 30 supported by base 20 and an upper tubular section 32 telescopically mounted in lower section 30 and secured at various adjusted positions by locking or securing means 34, to be more fully described hereinafter. Section 30 is held in upright position by a supporting structure consisting of two horizontal angularly positioned tubular or rod members 36 and 38 connected to the lower end of mast section 30 by a bolt 40 extending through the integrally joined ends of members 36 and 38. In forming these two members, a tubular rod is preferably flattened at the center thereof and drilled to receive bolt 40; however, the two members 36 and 38 may be formed separately, drilled and overlapped to receive bolt 40 for securing the respective ends to mast section 30. The opposite ends of horizontal members 36 and 38 are secured to weight unit 42 consisting of two heavy blocks 44 and 46 mounted on a plate 48, the two blocks preferably being formed of concrete or other heavy material and bolted to the plate by a plurality of bolts 50 at their inner ends and bolts 52 at their outer ends. The plate 48 may be of plywood, metal or any other suitable rigid material adapted to support the blocks and to withstand the Weather for outdoor use. Two additional supporting tubular or rod members 54 and 56 are connected to the mast by lug 60 welded or otherwise secured to the side of the mast section 30 at a point spaced upwardly from the bottom end thereof, the upper and forward ends of members 54 and 56 being flattened and secured by a bolt or pin 66 extending through the lug and the two flattened ends 62 and 64 of members 54 and 56, respectively. The rear and lower ends of members 54 and 56 are secured to unit 42 by bolts 52 extending upwardly through the flattened ends of members 36 and 38 and ends of members 54 and 56, thus forming a rigid connection between unit 42 and members 36, 38, 54 and 56. It is seen that a four phase triangular structure is created by the foregoing arrangement of the four supporting rods, thus creating a strong, rigid and dependable base structure for the mast. The four rods retain the mast in a rigid upright position, and weight unit 42 retains the base in any desired position in the playing or practicing area.

The backboard 24 may be standard in size and shape for playing basketball and is supported on the upper end of mast section 32 by two diagonal tubular or bar members 70 and 72 secured at their upper ends to the upper portion of the backboard by bolts 74, and at their lower ends to a rearwardly projecting tube 76 which is joined rigidly to the upper end of mast section 32 by welding or other suitable securing means. A bolt 78 extends through the lower center of the backboard and through tube 76 and the flattened lower ends of members 70 and 72, and is held tightly in place by a nut threaded onto the end, to form a rigid triangular support for the backboard. The basket consisting of the hoop and support therefor is secured by bolts to the backboard in the Well known manner.

The upper mast section 32 is telescopically mounted in lower mast section 30, as illustrated in FIGURE 8, and is held in the various adjusted positions by locking or securing means 34 consisting of an L-shaped threaded bolt 80 threadedly received in lug 82 and extending through hole 84 in mast section 30 and into bolt 80 is tightened firmly against the side of mast section 32, the two sections are held firmly in adjusted position and no further support is required. However, to avoid accidental displacement of section 32 in section 30 while an adjustment is being made and bolt 80 is loosened, an auxiliary securing means 86 is employed, consisting of a lever 88 with an enlarged inner end 90 seated in a double conical hole 92 in lug 82. The inner end of the lever is tiltable from a substantially horizontal position to an upwardly extending angular position. In the latter position, section 32 can move freely longitudinally upwardly and downwardly in section 39; however, when lever 88 is substantially horizontal, the inner end 94 firmly engages the external surface of section 32 and holds the section in any adjusted position. Thus, it is seen that in making an adjustment, bolt 80 is first loosened to disengage the inner end thereof from the external surface of section 32 and then lever 88 is tilted so that inner end 30 is raised upwardly, thus disengaging end 94 thereof from the external surface of section 32. Section 32 is then adjusted to the desired height and is held in the adjusted position by the engagement of end 94 while bolt 80 is being tightened in firm engagement with the external surface of the section. The auxiliary securing means can be eliminated if desired; however, it is normally incorporated in the securing means as a precautionary safety device.

The mast may be used for practicing baseball or football, as illustrated in FIGURES l and 11, the former involving the use of a net 100 representing the strike zone supported by horizontal brackets 102 and 104 secured by bands 106 and 108, respectively, to mast section 30. The strike zone is preferably made of nylon netting or other resilient material, so that when the baseball is thrown against it, the ball Will rebound toward the pitcher. A football practice ring 110 of rubber, or other suitable material, is supported on the lower edge of backboard 24 by two bars or flexible members 112 and 114 secured at their lower end to the ring 110 and at their upper ends to the backboard by any suitable securing means.

One of the primary advantages of the present mast apparatus, in addition to its rigidity and firmness when assembled, is its compactness when disassembled. By removing bolts 40, 66 and 52, the base can be completely collapsed for shipment and storage, and the mast sections 30 and 32 can be easily separated by disengaging bolt from mast section 32, and the backboard can be easily disconnected from the upper end of the mast by removing bolts 74 and 78.

While only one embodiment of the present game apparatus has been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a mast apparatus for basketball and other games; an adjustable tubular mast section; a backboard secured to the upper end of said adjustable mast section; a base for said mast section comprising a fixed mast section for telescopically receiving said adjustable mast section, an elongated weight unit extending parallel with the face of said backboard on the opposite side of said fixed mast section, two angularly disposed horizontal tubular members releasably connected at one end to the lower end of said fixed mast section and at the other end to the respective ends of said weight unit, two angularly disposed diagonally positioned members releasably connected at one end to said fixed mast section spaced upwardly from said first mentioned tubular members and at the other end to the respective ends of said weight unit, said weight unit consisting of a rectangular plate and a concrete block secured to each end of said plate, and a releasable securing means for retaining the adjustable section in adjusted telescopic position in said fixed section, including a lug on the side of said fixed section having a threaded hole therein, a bolt extending through said hole and through a hole in said fixed section into engagement with said adjustable section, and a camming means in said lug movable from an inwardly and upwardly extending position to a substantially horizontal position for forcing the adjustable mast section into frictional engagement with the fixed mast section, said camming means having an actuating means projecting through said lug for operating the camming means.

2. In a mast apparatus for basketball and other games; an adjustable tubular mast section; a backboard secured to the upper end of said adjustable mast section; a base for said mast section, comprising a fixed mast section for telescopically receiving said adjustable mast section, an elongated weight unit extending parallel with the face of said backboard on the opposite side of said fixed mast section, two angularly disposed horizontal tubular members releasably connected at one end to the fixed end of said lower mast section and at the other end to the respective ends of said weight unit, two angularly disposed diagonally positioned tubular members releasably connected at one end to said fixed mast section spaced upwardly from said first mentioned tubular members and at the other end to the respective ends of said weight unit, and a releasable securing means for retaining the adjustable section in adjusted telescopic position in said fixed section, including a lug on the side of said fixed section having a threaded hole therein, a bolt extending through said hole and through a hole in said fixed section into engagement with said adjustable section, and a camming means in said lug movable from an inwardly and upwardly extending position to a substantially horizontal position for forcing the adjustable mast section into frictional engagement with the fixed mast section, said camming means having an actuating means projecting through said lug for operating the camming means.

3. In a mast support apparatus an adjustable tubular mast section; a base for said mast section, comprising a fixed mast section for telescopically receiving said adjustable mast section, an elongated weight unit, two angularly disposed members releasably connected at one end to the lower end of said fixed mast section and at the other end to the respective ends of said weight unit, two angularly disposed diagonally positioned members rcleasably connected at one end to said fixed mast section spaced upwardly from said first mentioned angularly disposed members and at the other end to the respective ends of said weight unit, and a releasable securing means for retaining the adjustable section in adjusted telescopic position in said fixed section, and a camming means on said fixed section movable from an inwardly and upwardly extending position to a substantially horizontal position for forcing the adjustable mast section into frictional engagement with the fixed mast section, said camming means having an actuating means projecting through said lug for operating the camming means.

908,055 10/1962 Great Britain. 1,341,549 9/1963 France.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, ANTON 0. OECHSLE,

Examinens. M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner. 

3. IN A MAST SUPPORT APPARATUS AN ADJUSTABLE TUBULAR MAST SECTION; A BASE FOR SAID MAST SECTION, COMPRISING A FIXED MAST SECTION FOR TELECOPICALLY RECEIVING SAID ADJUSTABLE MAST SECTION, AN ELONGATED WEIGHT UNIT, TWO ANGULARLY DISPOSED MEMBERS RELEASABLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE LOWER END OF SAID FIXED MAST SECTION AND AT THE OTHER END TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID WEIGHT UNIT, TWO ANGULARLY DISPOSED DIAGONALLY POSITIONED MEMBERS RELEASABLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID FIXED MAST SECTION SPACED UPWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST MENTIONED ANGULARLY DISPOSED MEMBERS AND AT THE OTHER END TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID WEIGHT UNIT, AND A RELEASABLE SECURING MEANS FOR RETAINING THE ADJUSTABLE SECTION, IN ADJUSTED TELESCOPIC POSITION IN SAID FIXED SECTION, AND A CAMMING MEANS ON SAID FIXED SECTION MOVABLE FROM AN INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION TO A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION FOR FORCING THE ADJUSTABLE MAST SECTION INTO FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FIXED MAST SECTION, SAID CAMMING MEANS HAVING AN ACTUATING MEANS PROJECTING THROUGH SAID LUG FOR OPERATING THE CAMMING MEANS. 